We drifted the John Day River from Service Creek to Twickenham, August 28th to the 30th. In the evening of the 29th, several miles above Twickenham, someone ( one female and at least one male ) shot many rounds through our camp, and yelled "get off my land". There are two ranches there with a road following the river. This took place at the lower ranch. To my knowledge, we were not on ranch property. The Sheriff Deputy told me it is BLM land. At that time, it didn't seem reasonable to drift down stream to where they were still shooting and yelling, so we moved camp deeper into the trees, brought the pontoon boats up off the river, found a place to hide, and waited. Very early Sunday morning, we loaded up and drifted out. When we reached Fossil, I called the Wheeler County Sheriff's Department and reported the shooting. You can check that out for yourself, as it should be public information. They told me they were recording my statement. So...I survived as did my friend. But I write this as a warning. If I were you, I wouldn't be taking my wife or kids on that trip.

Glad everyone is OK, just proves that crazies inhabit all parts of the state.

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salmon hugger

"A curious thing happens when fish stocks decline: People who aren't aware of the old levels accept the new ones as normal. Over generations, societies adjust their expectations downward to match prevailing conditions." Kennedy Wame

Hey, us EO guys and gals pac em, but don't skin-em, unless there is some---thing to shoot. little humor!! Glad all is ok!!!!! and please be aware we have had a number of different grow ops nearing harvest and outdoor folks need to be alert!!! Crazy folks abound. Be Careful

I am thinking this is the same incident that was relayed to me by a mutual friend of yours or someone in your party. If this is the same incident, and I think it is, I debated posting about it but thought better of it. Since you are posting we can assume absolutely nothing was done so far, correct, so nothing to jeopardize?

This was more than a couple pot shots or warning shots...this was more like "pinned down".......and could have very easily been a Criminally Negligent Homicide or Assault 1 if a round had hit one of you. I think if you went into more detail here on ifish there would be quite a reaction.

The initial reaction by law enforcement is embarrasing. It took days for these guys to get a call back from the Sheriff, and only after a certain someone went directly to an OSP supervisor could he get connected with a Trooper. OSP was a tad upset over that part....

If you have not received any worthwhile assistance from the Sheriff, and want to keep pursuing it, and I think you should for everyone's sake, OSP said they will help you if the Sheriff won't. Hopefully you or others can identify them from a photo lineup? This might not be all that hard to resolve....it might be easier than you think. Start with the Trooper that called you and go from there. Since you were on BLM land you can also call the Portland Office of BLM and ask to speak to the law enforcement supervisor....BLM has Special Agents and would probably be all over this. You know who to tell if you need more help. I must confess when I heard this I thought of Deliverance......

.45 never leave home without one cause I hate being the only one without when the time comes.

While I am NOT advocating the use of deadly force I do feel that if you are on public then you have the same right to be there as anyone else no more no less & to be fired upon without provocation is inexcusable. Even if you were on private property it was my understanding that if there unawares the owner must first ask you to leave before the Sheriff cites you. Nowhere is it written that the landowner can simply open fire without first being in grave danger.

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Simple Problems May Be Corrected in the Government Provided the Solution is Complex; Simple Solutions to Complex Problems Are Not Tolerated

I tell ya, though I carry a gun everywhere I can legally......I can't say for sure what I would have done. That said, I think it would have been a great time to have a hand held Ham Radio.....I have been thinking about getting my Ham License and storing one in my Bug Out Bag.....I think this is the push to get it done. The ability to communicate from the scene near the scene of the incident may have helped catch these crazies.

I don't know about you but I am allergic to bullets......they make me bleed.

I am thinking this is the same incident that was relayed to me by a mutual friend of yours or someone in your party. If this is the same incident, and I think it is, I debated posting about it but thought better of it. Since you are posting we can assume absolutely nothing was done so far, correct, so nothing to jeopardize?...

GD

Because of the interest in my original post, I’ll tell the detail of the “Shooting on the John Day”.

As I mentioned, it was Saturday evening. It was the end of a simply beautiful day of fun fishing. My friend had never been on the John Day, and several times during the day, thanked me for bringing him along.Now it’s early evening and camp is set up. I’m thinking dinner, and he’s still out on the river fishing. To kill time, I’m sitting in my lawn chair watching horses graze along the river bank, and taking pictures. Now and then he yells up to me, wanting to know “did you see that”! My response is, “no…have you started dinner yet”? Dinner was his part of the deal. Eventually he remembers he is hungry too, and comes off the river.While we are eating and enjoying the evening light on the surrounding hills and river, a lot of shooting and loud talking begins downstream at the ranch just below us. There were at least two people. I hear one male and one female voice. They are shooting what I believe to be a .22, and something much larger. Now, I grew up in the country and understand going out shooting. None of this bothered me. I only hoped they realize someone could be camped up river, and wondered if they were being careful with the direction they were shooting. I have no idea if they knew we were there. We could hear them, and because we were yelling to each other earlier, figured they heard us. We just finished dinner when a small white car with a loud muffler started up the road, toward us. They were shooting the .22 out the window as they came. I said to my friend,”this can’t be good”! He ducked behind a large Juniper tree. For some reason, I stood there processing and confused for a moment. It was then I saw the two bullets ricochet off the river directly in front of camp. I saw the shooter leaning out the window and heard him yell at the driver to stop. It was then, I found the ditch beyond the tree my friend was behind, and got in it. I heard the shooter get out of the car. Now I’m worried. He yelled “get off my land” and shot about 20 rounds. We heard the bullets in the trees. I won’t say he aimed directly at us because I was ducking for cover. That is also why I cannot identify a face. I didn’t really feel like getting up and looking just then. You have no idea how much I wish I would have. Then, he got back in the car, turned around, and drove back down stream shooting as they went. Then it was decision time. We quickly figured out leaving…getting off his property…was not an option. They were back at the place we first heard the shooting and loud voices. We would have to drift right by them to leave. What we did was move the pontoon boats off the river into the trees. That way they were protected and we had a way out. Next, we moved the tent deeper into the trees for protection. About then, a truck drove in, so now there were more of them. I’m not sure of the time frame, but much more shooting and loud talk continued. At one point the car drove away and then returned a very short time after. Not enough time to go to town and back. Remember, they were on the ranch across the river downstream from us. I’ll let you think about where the car had time to go.We took a position on high ground above camp and listened and waited. As I sat there I wondered what might have happened if I was armed. Hopefully, I would have had the good sense to do exactly as I did without a weapon. That is, remain calm and wait it out. I also wondered what others might have done. And, as time passed, I got angry. I wanted the law to do something. I thought it must be against some law to drive by my camp and shoot at me. Sunday morning we got up before the sun was in the canyon, packed up and drifted out as quietly as we could. After getting away from the ranch, we pulled off to heat water and drink some coffee. Then we fished our way down to the Twickenham Bridge. When we arrived in Fossil I called the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Department to report what happened. Monday morning a deputy called and recorded my statement. I was told my friend would be called to give a statement also. I believe it was Friday, after my friend called at least two times, that he was finally able to talk with the deputy. Then there seemed to be some confusion about where this ranch is. I sent a Google Earth map with the coordinantes of the camp and the ranch. To date what I have heard is, “I drove out there again last night an there still wasn’t anyone home”.You might wonder what I expect. I’ll tell you. I fully understand nothing will come of this because I can’t make identification. But, I want someone from The Sheriff’s Department, Oregon State Police, or the BLM to pound a finger in someone’s chest, and say something like this; I know what took place here, it’s unacceptable, and it will not happen again.

My friends had a similiar thing happen to them on the Klickitat River a year or two ago. They were camped right off of the main road that runs parallel to the river in a small campground. Three of them had left and went to town when my one friend who remained in camp had gone down the river for some reason or another. When he came back into came all of a sudden a big jacked up pickup pulled into the campground spinning donuts and shooting up everything in the campground. He said he rolled underneath the one pickup that was left in camp and waited things out. After awhile the obviously drunk "hellions" took off screaming and shooting all the way down the road. Only then did he realize there were some other campers who had been hiding down by the river at the same time he was underneath the pickup. They were all kind of in shock and I think my buddy had to go change his shorts. The authorities were notified and nothing ever came of it, from what I heard.

When backpacking this is the very reason we pack in out party 1 pistol each with several clips and extra rounds, Not that we would engage but atleast have a way to defend. you made the right choice to move into the woods but had they decided to hunt you (I.E. surving the game style) it could have ended badly, hopefully you atleast had a knife or a club of some sort with either weapon you could have ambushed and taken out one or more in short order, as far as the response keep up on it sometimes things in the wild east happen a little different oh and dont feel bad two times a week we havegunfire near our house in se pdx....

The river runs more east to west at that point I believe. That would but us on the south side, between the two ranches on the north side, a few miles up the ranch road which comes out to the highway right beside the Twickenham Bridge. On Google Earth you can easily see the ranch. It's up river from the bridge just past a big s curve in the river. The road back to it comes through a pass/canyon north of the river and meets the river on that ranch.

Crazy story.. I TRY to never head to the river with out my handgun.
I've seen cougars in my fishing hole on the coast and have been shot at a few times while fishing. No one yelled at me to get off their land but I did hear shots and bullets fly by my head. A gun can just make enough noise to alert people too... just in case there are people target shooting, not knowing they are shooting at people.
I'd pursue it with OSP.

I just get sick of all the
"Must be a grow operation and the thief must have been a tweeker" stuff.

Crime has been going on since man has recorded history.

How about...They must have been some drunk idiots who like to play with guns and dont like river rafters on what they consider their property?

That may very well be but a trip through by OSP or DEA might be worth it also. The thought that they went to the ranch so they must just be drunk ranchers is certainly possible but an awful lot of the big ranches out in this country have been bought out by large corporations mostly out of California and there are a fair number of old ranch houses sitting unused that could easily be housing mary jane growers unbeknown to the corporation in So. Cal.

Don't let it drop because some lazy county police don't want to do their job. Contact OSP in The Dalles and let them know what happened. They will definitely look into it or have someone else on it that wants to do their job.

Sorry to hear about your misadventure Steve. That's a great section of river, and certainly not one that can be run fished and run in a single day. Have never run it this time of year but rather by drift boat is the spring. Hopefully some attention will be given to this, and some message clearly sent. Thanks for posting the information, very good to know. Don't worry about those who, although not there themselves, know what did, or did not motivate the shooters, some here can't help themselves. I personally don't see how it really matters.

Oh yeah, and welcome to ifish!! We usually ask that you share a story, you certainly have that covered.

I just get sick of all the
"Must be a grow operation and the thief must have been a tweeker" stuff.

Crime has been going on since man has recorded history.

How about...They must have been some drunk idiots who like to play with guns and dont like river rafters on what they consider their property?

So its OK for you to make assumptions but not anyone else???? but I guess your right people don't grow plants on ranches or private property especially drunken idiots so make sure you put on your PFD over your bullet proof vest!!

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if fishing is a recreational sport then why do we keep score??????????

He said they came from the Ranch and he said they were drinking and He said they yelled to "Get off my land" while shooting guns at their direction.
That is all we know.
So, lets stick with what He reported.
I didnt assume anything ....I didnt suppose anything.
On the contrary...I stuck to the facts and wondered why others were injecting all this conspiricy theory and criminal activity theory.

He said they came from the Ranch and he said they were drinking and He said they yelled to "Get off my land" while shooting guns at their direction.
That is all we know.
So, lets stick with what He reported.
I didnt assume anything ....I didnt suppose anything.
On the contrary...I stuck to the facts and wondered why others were injecting all this conspiricy theory and criminal activity theory.

Well if people are willing to break one law, then.........kinda a trend you know.

He said they came from the Ranch and he said they were drinking and He said they yelled to "Get off my land" while shooting guns at their direction.
That is all we know.
So, lets stick with what He reported.
I didnt assume anything ....I didnt suppose anything.
On the contrary...I stuck to the facts and wondered why others were injecting all this conspiricy theory and criminal activity theory.

not sure where you got the drinking part the original poster didn't mention anything about drinking in either posts so i why not just say they were drunk cannibus cultivators and call it even

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if fishing is a recreational sport then why do we keep score??????????

We drifted the John Day River from Service Creek to Twickenham, August 28th to the 30th. In the evening of the 29th, several miles above Twickenham, someone ( one female and at least one male ) shot many rounds through our camp, and yelled "get off my land". There are two ranches there with a road following the river. This took place at the lower ranch. To my knowledge, we were not on ranch property. The Sheriff Deputy told me it is BLM land. At that time, it didn't seem reasonable to drift down stream to where they were still shooting and yelling, so we moved camp deeper into the trees, brought the pontoon boats up off the river, found a place to hide, and waited. Very early Sunday morning, we loaded up and drifted out. When we reached Fossil, I called the Wheeler County Sheriff's Department and reported the shooting. You can check that out for yourself, as it should be public information. They told me they were recording my statement. So...I survived as did my friend. But I write this as a warning. If I were you, I wouldn't be taking my wife or kids on that trip.

Let's see here. Wheeler County with a population of 1300 and a Sheriff and two deputies. What are the chances that the Sheriff would not have a pretty good idea, based on behaviour and vehicle descriptions, who was doing the reckless shooting? If you were, in fact, on BLM land I would pursue the case with whatever agency investigates felonies committed on Federal Land. The rounds being sprayed into the woods while you were taking cover should meet the standard needed for reckless endangerment. There are some very basic steps that the Sheriff should have taken in this case with one example being simply determining what cars are owned by the ranch property owner(s). If this hasn't been done you can rest assured that your case is not being investigated.

Let's see here. Wheeler County with a population of 1300 and a Sheriff and two deputies. What are the chances that the Sheriff would not have a pretty good idea, based on behaviour and vehicle descriptions, who was doing the reckless shooting? If you were, in fact, on BLM land I would pursue the case with whatever agency investigates felonies committed on Federal Land. The rounds being sprayed into the woods while you were taking cover should meet the standard needed for reckless endangerment. There are some very basic steps that the Sheriff should have taken in this case with one example being simply determining what cars are owned by the ranch property owner(s). If this hasn't been done you can rest assured that your case is not being investigated.

I had somebody shine a powerful spotlight on me and a buddy one night in the dunes at Nehalem Bay (no we weren't...just hanging out and having a fire and some cold ones). Someone yelled I have a gun and I will shoot you. They had the lights right on us, but we bailed fast. They stayed for almost half an hour shining that light out into the sea grass looking for us. Never been happier that I had on my camo coat. We think mistaken identity.

Your story is worse, but my point is that you never know what some fool will do. Sucks, it really does. People are crazy. Sorry and glad you are okay.

If you were, in fact, on BLM land I would pursue the case with whatever agency investigates felonies committed on Federal Land. The rounds being sprayed into the woods while you were taking cover should meet the standard needed for reckless endangerment. There are some very basic steps that the Sheriff should have taken in this case with one example being simply determining what cars are owned by the ranch property owner(s). If this hasn't been done you can rest assured that your case is not being investigated.

Seems like it was in the same area as your issue was, here is a quote from the news report: "All of those involved were hunters from the Portland area who were camping about 10 miles downstream from Twickenham".

Seems like it was in the same area as your issue was, here is a quote from the news report: "All of those involved were hunters from the Portland area who were camping about 10 miles downstream from Twickenham".

Wow, I'll say it first - wonder if it's related and could have been prevented if the Sheriff took the first incident seriously. That is just some bad stuff.

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"There are no ordinary people - you have never talked to a mere mortal" C.S. Lewis

this is a really strange story, i spent almost every summer in that very same area as my uncle leased cherry creek ranch which is just a few miles down river. ive never heard of anything like that. the only story i know of was my uncle that got murdered in wheeler county about 17 years ago when he stumbled upon a huge poaching ring. sounds to me like they were doing something "illegal" why else would they be shooting at someone just floating by. to my knowledge most people who do float know the laws of private property and right of way through rivers. additionally 90% of the private property in that area have well established private property signs.

round up the posse. Sounds like a bunch of drunk tweekers growing shwag.

reminds me of a time when I went on that same drift and pulled over for lunch. My dads neighbor was itching to pull the trigger at some beer cans. He set a few up in a sand dirt bank about five feet tall and unloaded a clip on the ground and within seconds these people on the otherside slightly down steam started screamin for their lives. "Hey Hey Hey, were over here" we all apologized and thought damn what are the odds. looked like a safe bank to shoot at. so we popped off a few more rounds, No joking. we felt like idiots trying to be safe.

I was getting ready to walk into a run behind the 4O cattle ranch. I was going to access the river through public property and by means of the river below the high water mark i was going to make my way upstream behind the ranch( across the river) when out of his house comes the ranch hand assault rifle in hand and blasts the run with 15- 20 rounds.

I may be wrong but i believe that intimidating people with a fire arm is highly illegal...

I was getting ready to walk into a run behind the 4O cattle ranch. I was going to access the river through public property and by means of the river below the high water mark i was going to make my way upstream behind the ranch( across the river) when out of his house comes the ranch hand assault rifle in hand and blasts the run with 15- 20 rounds.

I may be wrong but i believe that intimidating people with a fire arm is highly illegal...